Sent Forth: Meditations on the Angels of God
II. Created as Light: The First Creatures and the Order of Creation-Part Two
Welcome back.
The division of light and darkness on the first day seem to prefigured a basic division that runs through all of creation and scripture. Light representing all things good, the elect angels, those who remained steadfast in their worship of God, who have kept their first estate by the power of God. Light also representing those who have been redeemed from destruction, and taken from darkness into His most marvelous light. Darkness representing fallen angels, those who did not keep their first estate, turned from God, were lifted up in pride, who chose themselves instead of their Creator.14 Chiefly among them stands Satan, the prince of “the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Eph. 6:12). Darkness also representing those reprobate sons and daughters of Adam, who loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). The decree of which, belongs to the eternal counsel of God; but the historical fall belongs to the fallen. Light was separated from darkness. It is not lost on me that this distinction between darkness and light is present from the opening moment. It seems to be written into the very element of natural and spiritual things.
The visible creation is good. The sun, the stars, the earth, the seas, all came from the hand of God and bore His own verdict: “it was good.” Yet the first distinction in creation was light from darkness. Before land was parted from sea, before the starry lights were set in their courses, God divided all light from darkness. That division becomes, in time, a prophetic emblem of another division within the invisible creation. The angels were made good, yet mutable. From the first moment of their creaturely beginning, they stood upheld by God, capable of continuing in holy obedience, yet capable also of falling by proud rebellion. Many kept their first estate. Others left their own habitation and became spiritual and intellectual diptavity. Thanks be to God, their fall did not corrupt the whole race as Adam’s fall corrupted ours. Heaven, therefore, was struck, but not wounded. The elect angels at this very moment, still shine in radiant obedience before the throne. They are presently ascending and descending to earth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. The fallen angels rage beneath judgment, bending all their malice against God, His Christ, His church, and His providence. One day, eternity itself will display this separation forever: light forever with God in Christ, and darkness under wrath; the holy angels serving the redeemed, and demons shut up at last in utter darkness Who, along with the reprobate are cast “into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).
To say that the angels were created as light, on the first day, is at least a reasonable venture. I think it says something quite clear about the structure of reality. The invisible world precedes the visible. The spiritual world encompasses the physical world, all within God’s created order. We live in a world which was likely shaped in the presence of Angels, for purposes that will involve them deeply. Scientists ask, “Are we alone in the universe?” No. We are fellow creatures in a universe populated by untold millions upon millions of intelligent creatures, vastly superior to us in power and knowledge, created before us, and witnesses of the purposes of God.
To say we understand this is pure foolishness. To try to understand this is soul medicine. Perhaps if I though on this more, I would glorify God more.
What if to understand our own place in this world better, we would first understand something of the place the angels keep? (unfallen and fallen). I clearly see now that we are ‘the juniors’ of creation week. We are the later creature, made in the image of God, yes, but also made a little lower than the angels15. How will we ever judge the angels!? (1 Cor. 6:3). I can only believe that by faith. We entered into a world already inhabited by beautiful spiritual beings who had known and loved God before Adam walked with God in the cool or the day. Perhaps if we can recover this understanding, if we can see the world as it actually is, populated right now by angels, ordered according to the wisdom of God, structured from the beginning around the division between light and darkness. Perhaps then we will begin to understand what it means to live as children of God in a universe that is far larger, far more populated, and far deeper than the naturalistic world we have learned in school. I’ve wept over the beauty of a river at sunset. Now I’ve wept over creation’s first day. There is more beauty to see in God than we could possibly fathom, if we would but meditate on his Word.
On this reading, part of the light that God spoke into existence on the first day was likely personal: rational, holy, majestic, beautiful, powerful, responsible creatures, who would stand in his presence and behold his glory. So, no, we are not alone in this universe.
Now, what should this do in the child of God? I fear that for many, this is all just interesting trivia. If that is all I’ve done is awaken your curiosity, then I have miserably failed in my attempt.
It should produce reverence. God is unfathomably deep. He is holy, holy, holy. We live before the LORD in a creation far larger than our telescopes. The universe is not empty space filled with matter and dark matter. It is the workmanship of the living God. It is full of life. If angels stood at the beginning, if they watched the heavens stretched out and the earth complete, if they in fact rejoiced when God laid the foundations of the world (as Job says), then creation is far more majestic than we have been led to believe. Only the child of God can see any of these things. And even then, it is just a beginning.
It should also produce a greater degree of humility. We are not the first creature, or the strongest, or the smartest, or the most beautiful, or the most ancient. We are dust with breath. We are latecomers (as it were) into a world already filled with the praise of God. But this shouldn’t degrade us either, because the same Scripture that says we are made a little lower than the angels also says that we are crowned with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5; cf. Hebrews 2:7,9). And more unfathomable still, the Triune God showed fallen angels mercy. No, the Son did not take on the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham (Heb. 2:16). The angels are older, stronger, and brighter; yet Christ became the Son of man, died for men, rose for men, and is gathering a bride into fellowship with him.
It should defiantly produce more alertness. If this division between light and darkness on day one is accurate, then Earth’s ground is not neutral. I am constantly guilty of looking at this world through natural eyes. But Satan is busy. He is behind the machine of this world, pulling whatever lever he can for evil. Our fellow creatures are not inocent bystandards. They are participents, as was I. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience”(Ephesians 2:2). There are intelligences in the unseen world that hate God, hate Christ, hate the church, and hate the image of God in mankind. They hate us because they see in us the imprint of their own Creator. Therefore, “Be vigilant,” Peter says, “because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
It should also produce comfort in ordinary providence. Let’s stop thinking of holy angels as spiritual butlers. They are ministers. They are “sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb. 1:4). They serve at the command of God. They do not draw attention to themselves. They certainly do not mediate Christ. They are part of the Father’s care for His children, servants of the Capetian of the LORD of Hosts, for whose glory they were created. Created as instruments of that providence by which God keeps His people in all their ways (Ps. 91:11,12). How often have we been kept, redirected, restrained, or delivered, and never knew what angels Christ had sent?
Finally, it should produce courage. The true believer does not walk alone in this world. He walks beneath the keeping of Christ, with the ministry of heavenly angels surrounding his precious purchased possessions. The fallen angels are real (as we will see), malicious, and mighty, but they are defeated creatures. The holy elect angels, unfallen (thus stronger), serve the Lord who has all power in heaven and in earth.
We can at least say that the light of creation still teaches us hope. God divided the light from the darkness, and He does so in every heart broken by the law and healed by the gospel. Do not lose heart, child of God. Darkness does not inherit this world. The children of light do. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). All events, times, and places belong to Jesus; and in the end, both holy angels and redeemed sinners will dwell together where “the glory of God” lightens the city, and “the Lamb is the light thereof” (Revelation 21:23).
14 For “elect angels,” see 1 Timothy 5:21. For fallen angels, see 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. The contrast is biblical, but the timing of the angelic fall should not be dogmatic.
15 Psalm 8:5, quoted in Hebrews 2:7.